Just got back to my apt after my A&P class, which comes after a rather hectic 12.75 hour shift on an ALS truck.

Well, my A&P prof decided to rant on about how EMS systems here in ABQ are a wasteful setup and need to be changed. And this is on the first day, mind you. I’m not sure what prompted the discussion at this point, but I might remember later.

First some background on the EMS system here in ABQ NM:We run a two tiered 911 system. First tier is the Fire Dept, either ABQ Fire, Bernallilo County Fire, Rio Rancho Fire, or one or two others. They usually are first on scene and handle extrication and primary intervention and assessments. Y0u usually get an ALS Engine (3 BLS or ILS providers and a medic, the Engine carries a monitor and jump bags with supplies and some have Narcs and drugs) and a Rescue. For MVCs sometimes you get a heavy extrication truck and a ladder truck too.2nd tier is ABQ Ambulance Service. They basically just transport from the scene to the appropriate hospital. Sometimes with a fire medic riding along. They run all ALS trucks for 911 with an occasional ILS truck for inter-facility runs. They are single medic with a BLS or ILS provider doing the driving.And then in ABQ area you have some other EMS services. You have my company, which does mainly interfacility in the ABQ area and 911 in 3 other counties in the state. And also is Dying Cross, which does 911 down 1 county but everything is brought up to ABQ becauae there are no hospitals really down there.And add in the rotor wing flight service, you’ve got a pretty hefty package up here.

This A&P class has several working EMTs and FFs in it, along with some brand new baby basics fresh out of B-classes and trying to get into and pass medic with no field experience. So its not a class that has no EMS knowledge.

I’ve done some thinking about the way that it works up here and in some ways I think that she might have had a point. Almost every LOLFDGB that calls gets a three ring circus showing up at her door. Not to mention if she needs to be transported from one facility to another, there usually is yet another company (mine) that does that work. And that doesn’t include what happens if we witness or are first to come across an accident on the roads.

It’s gotten to the point that some nursing homes will call us (!) instead of 911 when something goes wrong just so they only have one unit showing up and don’t “Cause a fuss” when they forgot that a pt died two days ago and are just now doing rounds again.

But what needs to be done is what I don’t know. We’ve been talking about it for months at my current service, but as we are a for-profit service and they are non-profit run by a hospital system, we don’t really know what all needs to be done.

Well, that’s my little rant for today. I’m sitting here in the first 4 hours of my 12 looking into a 911 vollie fire service to volunteer with, even though I’m not a big fan of volunteer services

Who says that just because I run interfacility trucks that I can’t have calls the really only need a taxi? I just finished a hell of a 4 call run and finally have some time for homework. Only one of these pts needed an ambulance really. Especially since I have a paramedic in the back for 2 of the 4 calls…Oh well, he got to play with fent.

Tonight is the start of my work week. 3 or 4 12 hour shifts from 8pm to 8am. Sunday night is my pickup night if the medic on the 7pm truck winds up going to one of my companies 911 services.

You see, I’m an EMT-B that runs a BLS interfacility transfer ambulance. We take patients to and from nursing homes, ERs hospital floors, and residences. I also run emergency calls from nursing homes that are too stupid to call 911.

And on Saturday morning at 0830 right after work, and then on monday at 0800, I start my second life. I’m a full time college student at the local community college. I’m taking A&P, EMS Pharm, EMS Drug Cal, and Advanced Trauma. If you couldn’t tell I’m doing my pre reqs for my NREMT-P, or medic. 12 credit hours this semester, then starting the hell that is P-school next semester hopefully. If I don’t get into the medic cohort first time around, I’ll be doing some pre nursing classes and my EMT-I.

And somewhere in all this is my fiance. She is taking the same courses as I am, just different days. And she works during the day on nights that I work, with the same company. We plan to go on to medic together and then get married Sept 12th of 2009, about 1 month after we finish our paramedic school. Or sooner or later depending on how everything works out.

And maybe as an addition I’m going to try talking with my bosses to pull some 911 shifts out in Torrance county or San Miguel Counties, in New Mexico.

Well, I plan to use htis blog to just post thoughts on calls and school an anything else that comes to mind. It’s good to finally start this, I’ve been debating it since I started reading ADs blog a while back.